Scugog Mayor Bobbie Drew yesterday announced her retirement from politics saying she will not seek re-election in the upcoming polls.
“After 31 years in locally elected positions, l would like to share that I will not be seeking re-election this fall. It is time to embrace life, explore the world and enjoy new activities. Most importantly, it is a promise I made a few years ago to my family and loved ones to spend more time together. With the support they have given to me over the years, they now deserve to have more time devoted to them,” she said in an issued statement.
She said with the challenges of the pandemic, this term has been very stressful for everyone, and included missing many of the community activities that bring joy as residents of Scugog. “Although events and activities were cancelled in the interest of public safety, I am very proud of our council and our staff for their resilience. We adapted and pivoted to provide superb service delivery to our community. I am also very proud and grateful that the vast majority of the people in our community met the challenges of the pandemic with co-operation, grace and respect for others including our staff.”
Mayor Drew said she was proud of the people of Scugog with one of the lowest per capita covid and variant cases in Durham. “I credit our staff for getting the message out and to the public for being responsible to keep everyone safe.”
The business of the township continued and we adapted to provide service and complete capital works throughout the term. “Ninety-five per cent of our projects and initiatives that are identified in the corporate strategic plan, have been completed or are well underway.”
Masterplans for the future
Foundational strategic and master plans have been developed that will help guide our community into an exciting future, said the mayor. Strategies such as the Waterfront Action Plan, Active Transportation and Transportation Master Plan, Community Improvement Plans, and the IT Strategic Plan are complete and now moving into the implementation phases. “I look forward to seeing all this work come to fruition over the next few years and I know these plans will not sit on the shelf and collect dust. I trust that staff and future councils will be as committed as those of this day, to see the progress towards an even better Scugog.”
She pointed out that Scugog infrastructure has been aging and recently the township has received public endorsement for special levies to advance maintenance and improvements to roads, bridges, parks, fleet and our municipal buildings each year. Year after year, we have seen and will continue to see improved infrastructure due to the funding and planning work being done to address our municipal infrastructure. The residents of Scugog will see their tax dollars at work when we watch a new playground constructed every year and sidewalks, roads and bridges repaired, she said.
Waterfront Action Plan
Piece by piece, section by section the waterfront will be transformed over the years to be an active and restful area for residents and visitors alike. The Waterfront Action Plan was developed with community consultation and this year we start with the picnic shelter rebuild and a playground retrofit in Palmer Park. Designs are planned this year for Birdseye Pool accessible change rooms and public washrooms in Palmer Park – both to be built in 2023.
The big project scheduled to start this year is the Lake Scugog Enhancement Project. The township has been working on getting permits and permissions from ministries and agencies for quite some time. The lake is so important to our community and this environmental project includes dredging the Port Perry Bay to improve the health of Lake Scugog – a healthy lake means a healthy community. Benefits of the project include improved depths, modern filtration to manage storm water that will in turn, support fish and other aquatic life and create better aesthetics to support sport and tourism.
“I had many goals when I started this term and in addition to those I have spoken of I would like to take a moment to highlight what I am particularly proud of. I attribute my successes to the many partnerships and relationships that we have cultivated in recent years. The township and the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation (MSIFN) have developed a close, respectful relationship and are working together for the benefit of both of our communities. We reached a 20-year agreement which provides municipal services for Roads Maintenance and Fire and Emergency Services. Our friends the MSIFN are making a $1.5 million contribution to the Lake Scugog Enhancement Project. We value and appreciate the relationship we have with the MSIFN built on trust, respect and friendship and thank the Indigenous Peoples who have looked after these lands for thousands of years.”
Mayor Drew pointed out that she was elected in 2018 for a four year term. “I will pledge to work on my remaining goals to my very last day as mayor with the same energy, enthusiasm and commitment as I have throughout my 31 years in public service. I look forward to a sustainable and progressive future for Scugog maintaining our warm welcoming nature,” she added.